Actors Kamal Haasan and Rajnikanth shared a platform on Sunday for the first time since the former attacked the ruling AIADMK regime amid signals that the superstars might be testing political waters.

The occasion was the inauguration of a memorial to actor Sivaji Ganesan in Chennai. The Rs 2.80-crore memorial was inaugurated by deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam (extreme left) after chief minister K Palaniswami cited prior commitments.

Haasan was called to the stage by fisheries minister D Jayakumar, who has been at the forefront of the AIADMK's attack on the actor. Jayakumar (flanked by Rajinikanth and Haasan) also gifted a shawl to Haasan.

Rajinikanth said: "To succeed in politics, it's not enough to just have fame and clout. There is something beyond that.... I don't know what it is." Referring to Haasan, he said: "Possibly he knows what it is. But even if he knows it, he won't share it with me."

Haasan said: "Any government... will respect him (Ganesan).... No need to compel or plead with anyone."

He was possibly referring to the controversy over the programme. Many sections, including Ganesan's actor son Prabhu (extreme right) and the Opposition DMK, had demanded that Palaniswami inaugurate the memorial. (PTI picture and report)